Itzhak Perlman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Itzhak Perlman
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| יִצְחָק פרלמן | |
Perlman before playing The Star-Spangled Banner at Citi Field in New York City in 2016
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| Born | August 31, 1945 |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation | Violinist |
| Spouse(s) |
Toby Friedlander
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 5 |
Itzhak Perlman (Hebrew: יִצְחָק פרלמן; born August 31, 1945) is a famous Israeli-American violin player. He has played his violin all over the world, including for Queen Elizabeth II at the White House in 2007. He also performed at the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009. Perlman has even led orchestras like the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He has won many important awards, including 16 Grammy Awards and four Emmy Awards. In 2015, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest honors in the United States.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Itzhak Perlman was born in Tel Aviv in 1945. His parents were Jewish and came from Poland. They moved to Mandatory Palestine before they met and got married.
Overcoming Challenges
When Perlman was four years old, he got polio. This illness affected his legs. Since then, he has used leg braces and crutches to walk. He always plays the violin while sitting down. Today, he uses crutches or an electric scooter to get around.
Discovering the Violin
Perlman was only three when he heard a violin concert on the radio. He loved it so much that he wanted to play the violin himself! His mother bought him a toy violin, and he quickly learned to play simple tunes.
At first, he was too small to join a music school. But a year later, he began learning the violin. His first teacher was a café violinist. When he was five, he joined the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. He studied there for eight years and gave his first public concert at age ten. Later, at 13, he moved to the United States to study at the Juilliard School, a very famous music school.
A Star Performer
Early Fame
Perlman became well-known in the United States when he appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1958. He was only 13 years old! He performed on the show again in 1964, even appearing on the same episode as the Rolling Stones. He played famous pieces like "Flight of the Bumblebee" and Mendelssohn's violin concerto.
In the early 1960s, Perlman played with several orchestras. He performed with the National Orchestral Association and the New York Youth Symphony. He also played with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Concert Tours and Major Debuts
With help from the Zionist Organization of America, Perlman started touring across the U.S. and Canada. He quickly became a top violin player. He played his first concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1963. In 1964, he won the Leventritt Competition, a major music award.
From 1964 to 1966, Perlman toured 30 cities in the U.S. He also gave concerts in Israel, ending with a performance in Tel Aviv. In 1965, he played with the New York Philharmonic for the first time. He also debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra. In 1966, he played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
International Recognition
In the late 1960s, Perlman began touring Europe. He played with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1968. In 1972, he debuted with the Berlin Philharmonic and at the famous Salzburg Festival. He performed with the Vienna Philharmonic as well. After this, Perlman toured as a solo artist all over the world.
Perlman has also appeared on TV shows like The Tonight Show and Sesame Street. He has performed at many events at the White House.
In 1986, Perlman played at a special concert in Central Park to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. This concert was shown live on TV.
In 1987, Perlman joined the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) for concerts in Eastern Europe. He toured with the IPO again in 1990, performing in the Soviet Union for the first time. In 1994, they toured China and India.
Beyond Classical Music
While Perlman is best known for classical music, he has also played other styles. He has performed jazz music with pianist Oscar Peterson. He has also played klezmer, a type of Jewish folk music, and bluegrass music.
Perlman has been a solo violinist for several movie soundtracks. He played the main theme for the 1993 film Schindler's List, which won an Academy Award. He was also the violin soloist for the 2005 film Memoirs of a Geisha.
Special Performances
On May 7, 2007, Perlman played at a special dinner at the White House for Queen Elizabeth II.
He performed at the 2009 inauguration ceremony for President Barack Obama. He played a piece called "Air and Simple Gifts" with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Gabriela Montero, and clarinetist Anthony McGill. They played live, but a recording was also played at the same time. This was because the cold weather could have damaged their valuable instruments.
Perlman also appeared in Disney's Fantasia 2000. He introduced the "Pines of Rome" part of the film with actor Steve Martin. In 2018, he appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to celebrate 60 years since his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Teaching and Mentoring
Itzhak Perlman is also a dedicated teacher. In 1975, he joined the music faculty at Brooklyn College. In 2003, he became a special violin professor at the Juilliard School, taking over from his own teacher, Dorothy DeLay. He also teaches students individually at the Perlman Music Program.
The Perlman Music Program
The Perlman Music Program was started in 1994 by Perlman's wife, Toby Perlman. It began as a summer camp for talented young string musicians aged 12 to 18. It has since grown into a year-round program.
Students in the program get to learn from Perlman himself. They also perform in different places, like synagogues and schools. The program helps young musicians connect with each other. It creates a supportive community where they can make friends and feel like they belong, instead of practicing alone.
Leading Orchestras
In the early 2000s, Perlman began to conduct, meaning he led orchestras. He became the main guest conductor for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He also advised the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2002 to 2004. In 2007, he was named the artistic director and principal conductor of the Westchester Philharmonic. His first concert in this role was in 2008, playing all Beethoven music.
His Special Violins
Perlman plays a very famous violin called the Soil Stradivarius. It was made in 1714 by Antonio Stradivari, a legendary violin maker. This violin is considered one of the best ever made during Stradivari's "golden period." Perlman also plays other valuable violins, including a Guarneri del Gesù from 1743 and a Carlo Bergonzi from 1740.
Personal Life
Itzhak Perlman lives in New York City with his wife, Toby. She is also a trained violinist. They have five children, including Navah Perlman, who is a concert pianist. Perlman is a distant cousin of the Canadian comedian Howie Mandel. He also has synesthesia, a condition where senses mix, like seeing colors when hearing music.
Honors and Awards
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Itzhak Perlman has received many important awards and honors throughout his career:
- 1964: Winner of the Leventritt Competition.
- He has won 16 Grammy Awards for his recordings, including for his performances of Antonio Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" and works by Beethoven and Brahms.
- 2008: Received a special Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- He has won four Emmy Awards for his television programs, such as "Perlman in Russia" and "Itzhak Perlman: In the Fiddler's House."
- 1986: Honored with the Medal of Liberty by President Reagan.
- 2000: Awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton.
- 2003: Received the Kennedy Center Honors, a top award for artists in the U.S.
- 2015: Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.
- 2016: Received the Genesis Prize from the Prime Minister of Israel.
- 2017: Was the subject of a documentary film called Itzhak.
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See also
In Spanish: Itzhak Perlman para niños
